EVESHAM UNITED FC SQUAD 2023-24
Management Profiles
Mike Ford – Manager
Mike, as a player represented Cardiff City and Oxford United, clocking up close to 500 league appearances, gaining two promotions during that time. Following retirement due to injury, Mike has managed Oxford United (twice in caretaker roles) and was also assistant manager there for a period. He then went on to manage Oxford City, (2009-2014) leading them to promotion to the National League Southern Division. He then moved to Banbury United (2015-2020) where he gained promotion from Evesham’s level in 2016, before establishing them in the Premier Division from that point. He helped manage St. Ives Town last season.
Mike is a UEFA A licensed coach, who has experience working with and developing young players, including being the Oxford United Youth Team Manager.
Alex Sykes – Assistant Manager
In May 2011, Alex was appointed as manager of Bishop’s Cleeve. In his first season as manager, he led Bishop’s Cleeve to the club’s then record high league finish of 11th in the Southern League South & West
At the end of his second season as boss, in April 2013, he stepped down from his role as manager at the club. In May 2013 he became joint-manager at fellow Southern League club Shortwood United alongside John Evans. He would eventually take sole charge of the club following the retirement of John Evans at the end of the 2015-16 season. After leading the side for the 2016-17 season, he left Shortwood in April 2017. In January 2018, Alex was appointed as assistant manager Redditch United. In October 2021 he was appointed manager of Cinderford Town and left at the end of the 2022-23 season.
Alex started his playing career in the Football League with Mansfield Town. However he is best known for his time at Forest Green Rovers from 1996 to 2004 where he played 295 times scoring 73 goals in two spells and a loan. He was also a fans favourite at Gloucester City where he scored 60 goals in 160 appearances. Alex played for other teams such as Nuneaton Borough, Bath City and Bishops Cleeve. He is a former England Futsal international.
Mike Byrne – Coach
Mike is a vastly experienced and highly qualified coach. Mike is a FA Coach Developer and is the holder of the UEFA A licence for outfield and goalkeeping. He has previously held coaching positions with Forest Green Rovers’ first team and the youth academies at Bristol Rovers, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Swindon Town, as well as a number of non-league sides. Mike currently works full-time with Forest Green Rovers based in the Academy.
Dan Head – Goalkeeping Coach
Lewis O’Loughlin – Performance Analyst
Matt Webb – Therapist
Player Profiles
Ben Taylor – Goalkeeper
Ben was a youth team player at MK Dons and Cambridge United. Has also played for North Leigh, Gloucester City and Oxford City. He studied in the United States and played football for the American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts. He joined Banbury at the start of last season.
Archie Burford – Goalkeeper
18 year old on a work experience from Cheltenham Town FC
Tom Stone – Goalkeeper
19 year-old Reserve Team keeper Tom Stone has signed first team registration forms to play in the Southern League.
Toby Raison – Defender
22-year-old defender Toby Raison has returned to Evesham United where he started the season, making 10 appearances, before moving on to Swindon Supermarine. He rejoined Yate Town in late January, having played for the Bluebells last season.
After coming through Hereford FC’s youth system, he enjoyed two years with the first team making his debut when he was 18. He took in loan moves at Bromsgrove Sporting and Merthyr Town at Step 3 to help further his development.
Daniel Djurovic – Defender
Daniel joined from Redditch United, for whom he has made 19 appearances. Daniel is a defender who was previously in the academy at Birmingham City FC.
Michael O’ Regan – Defender
Michael played for Stratford Town and is a product of their Academy. He has also appeared for FC Stratford and Bishops Cleeve. He joined the Robins in the summer of 2022.
The 25 year-old attack-minded full back started his career playing for Oxford City in 2016. He joined Banbury United in the 2017/18 making 36 appearances in two seasons. His career continued with appearances with clubs such as Thatcham Town and North Leigh. From 2021 to 2023, Jordy made 69 appearances scoring 11 goals for Ardley United. In January 2023 he joined Thame United turning out 17 times.
Leighton Tuodolo – Defender
He is on dual registration from Chippenham Town. The 21 year-old joins from National League South Chippenham Town. He has been there since August 2020. His clubs previously were the Bristol Rovers Academy, Slimbridge (loan), Paulton Rovers (loan) and Yate Town (loan).
Rhys Bennett – Defender
Rhys Bennett has signed Southern League forms. The left sided defender re-joined after being on the books of Bishops Cleeve. Rhys had previously made one start and three substitute appearances for the first team. He has been a regular in the Reserve team this season.
Mackenzie Lamb- Defender/Midfielder
Mackenzie Lamb has joined on a youth loan from Peterborough United. The 20 year-old midfielder joined the Posh in July 2022. Formerly with West Bromwich Albion, he played for Scotland Under 16s. Mackenzie has also had loan spells with Alvechurch and Stratford Town this season.
Andy Baird – Defender
Andy Baird has signed Southern League forms. He began his professional career as a trainee with Wycombe Wanderers. He made his debut in 1998. He turned professional the following summer and soon established himself in the first team. However, a series of injuries later restricted his appearances and in the summer of 2002 he was released by the club after 102 appearances, including those off the bench. He scored 16 goals.
He joined Brackley Town and then in 2005 he joined Banbury United where he has become a regular in the team. In 2008, he transferred to Oxford City playing for one season. He is capable of playing at centre forward or centre back.
Andy is currently the coach of the Evesham United Women’s team.
Connor Wagstaff – Midfielder
Connor has come through the youth system and this season has being playing in the reserve team.
Jordan Lymn – Midfielder (Dual registration with Worcester City)
Jordan started his career with League One side Cheltenham Town. Whilst at Whaddon Road, he had loan spells at Bishops Cleeve, Shortwood United and North Leigh. He initially signed for Evesham in June 2017 but returned to North Leigh on a more permanent basis five months later. He returned to Evesham in the summer of 2018 but left for Westfields before returning to Evesham once more in July 2020. He switched to Southern Division One Central outfield Cirencester Town in the summer of 2022.
Aaron Heap – Midfielder
Aaron represented Northern Ireland at youth international level. He began his career with Kidlington, signing on a scholarship for Oxford United n April 2016. He made his senior debut on 6 November 2018, in the EFL Trophy.
He joined North Leigh and then signed for Banbury United in August 2020. He returned to North Leigh where he was a regular in the past two seasons, making 69 appearances.
Ben Hammett – Midfielder
Ben arrived at the club from Yate Town and is another talent to emerge from Hartpury University. Ben is a midfielder hailing from Bury St Edmonds. He spent time with AFC Sudbury before his move to Yate.
Amer Awadh – Midfielder
In his mid-twenties, Amer Awadh is an attacking midfielder who came through the youth system at Oxford City, playing primarily for their Nomads side, though he progressed to make a few first team appearances.
He had been playing for Fanja SC in Oman prior to joining Banbury United in February 2018, whom he made 84 appearances for. In 2021-22 he started the season at Nuneaton Borough before moving to North Leigh later that term. For the Oxfordshire outfit he turned out on 70 occasions scoring 6 goals, up to the end of last season.
Alfie Dunn – Midfielder
Alfie has moved from United Counties League Premier Division South side Easington Sports. He came through the Sports` youth section.
Ethan Moran – Midfielder
Midfielder Ethan signed from Worcester City where he had played 15 times and scored two goals. He signed for Stourbridge in August 2021 and chalked up 44 appearances (17 + 27 sub) for the Club during his thirteen-month stay and scored three times.
He had previously progressed through the youth and reserve ranks into the first team at Worcester City in 2018/19. He had a couple of loan stints at Malvern Town before making the move on a more permanent basis during the 2019/20 season. He was also involved with the Kidderminster Harriers academy set-up and had linked up with Lye Town in October 2020.
Will Owens – Midfielder
Will has now joined us on a permanent basis.18 year-old Will came on loan from Oxford United in February 2023 and played for us mainly on the left wing.
Freddy Willcox – Midfielder (On-loan)
The midfielder has joined the club from Cheltenham Town on work experience forms. The 17 year old appeared in the Football League Trophy at Bristol Rovers this season.
Ashley Sammons – Midfielder
The 32 year old midfielder joined from Bedworth United in March 2024.
Ashley began his career with Birmingham City for whom he made one appearance in the League Cup. He moved into non-league football with Hereford United, Worcester City, Redditch United (three spells), Corby Town and Hednesford Town before joining National League club Solihull Moors in 2017. He then joined Redditch for a fourth time, initially on a dual registration, in November 2017, and left Moors in January 2018. He subsequently played for Rushall Olympic, Stratford Town and Halesowen Town. He joined Evesham last March for the play-off push making making eight appearances.
Myles Simpson – Forward
Myles has previously played for Halesowen Town and Worcester City.
Levi Steele – Forward
Levi is a prolific striker who certainly knows where the back of the net is.
FC Stratford secured the services of the forward at the start of the 2021/22 season. In 19 appearances he scored 16 goals. He moved to Easington Sports at the end of November 2021. He joined North Leigh in February 2022 scoring 16 goals in 19 games until the end of that season. Levi moved to Pershore Town towards the end of last season scoring 9 goals in 12 matches, helping them to win the league.
Zack Hodges – Forward
The 22 year-old forward joined us from Whaddon Rovers in Cheltenham.
Aidan Clark – Forward
The 25 year old striker signed from neighbours Pershore Town. His previous clubs includes Bewdley Town, Worcester City, Conwy Borough and Welsh Universities. Aidan scored 51 goals for Pershore since joining them in the 2021-22 season and was top scorer in the Hellenic League Division One last term with 23 goals. He has signed on dual registration.
Aaron Evans-Harriott – Forward
The 21 year-old became the youngest player at the time, to feature in a Football League match for Cheltenham Town back in 2019 at the age of 16, when he played in a EFL Trophy match against West Ham United Under 21s. In February 2020, a transfer fee was agreed to take him from Cheltenham to Coventry City in the Championship. The former Welsh under 15 international did not made a senior appearance for the Sky Blues, but played a number of games at under 23 level.
He did sign for Evesham United at the start of the 2022-23 season, but injury meant he did not make a first team appearance. Recently Aaron has been playing for Fairford Town in the Hellenic Premier Division.